Folding bath tub



Feb. 13, 1951 w. P. MAYO ETAL FOLDING BATH TUB Filed July 25, 1947 gnaw/numb lll lllllll Patented Feb. 13, 1951 FOLDING BATH TUB Walker P. Mayo and Reba HiMayo, 1

Prestonsburg, Ky.

Application July 25, 1947, Serial No. 763,690

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in folding bath tubs.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved folding bath tub particularly adapted for use by invalids and convalescents, whereby they may conveniently bathe themselves with a minimum effort or largely assist in so doing.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tub, of the character described, which includes an elevated seat section, simulat ng a deep chair, with a foot section hinged thereto and adapted to be lowered to the floor, whereby an invalid or convalescent may sit in the seat section and, after positioning his legs and feet in the foot section, may raise the latter into horizontal alinement with said seat section, thus permitting water to be deposited in the tub and later drained therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved folding tub of the character described, wherein a pivoted prop is provided for its hinged foot section which is accessible to the person sitting in its seat section, the tub having means operable by such person for raistoms of its sectons are connected by a trans- I pockets.

Fig. 4 is a view, partly in perspective and partly in section, of the drum and cable actuating ever, itis preferable to provide along eachside of this section, moderately curved arm flanges l2 which are merged into a head roll [3, at the back ofthe section. The seat section is secured on thetop of a stand or upright support ll, which includes legs l5 connected by'cro'ss braces I 6 near their lower ends. Rollers or'casters ll are journaled in caster'brackets l8 secured in thelower ends of the legs, whereby the stand and tub are made portable. 'A stop 'I9'ispivot'ed to the lower end of oneof thelegs and maybe swung downwardly into engagement with the floor, when it is desired to hold the'stand against rolling.

j, of the section In at its front edgefsaid strip verse hinge and portions of the section bottoms and sides have co-acting packing means with inter-engaging elements arranged to separate when the foot section is lowered and to engage and form a water-tight seal when said foot section is elevated.

A part cular object of the invention is to provide an improved tub, of the character described, which is of such construction'that semi-invalids or ambvlatory patients may place themselves in the tub and raise the foot section, preparatory H to bathing themselves. for the reception of water.'

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invent on will be more readily understood a: the seal in hin ed some.

Ahanger strip 2D is secured across the bottom being ofiset transversely so that its front'por- .tion (Fig. 3). is spaced from the bottom of't he section. A similar hanger strip 2| is secured to the adjacent edge portion of the bottom fof, the foot sectionll. The leaves of I a transverse hinge 22 are secured to the offset portions of the strips by welding or other suitable means. The strips and the hinge are so fpositioned that when the foot section is swung to a horizontalposition, the edge portions of'the sections are spaced apart, as shown by the numerals '23 and 24.

It isobviousth'at a' water-tight seal IlillStIibG provided between the sections, when, they are alined, inorder, to hold .water.

A An elongate, elastic female sealing member 25 is secured to f the edge portion 23 and receivesa portion of an elastic complementary'sealing member 26 when the. members are alined. The female member 25 extendsacross the bottom and up each side edge portion-23, whereby thefsealing member "is supported in place; Along its front" edge, the

member has a longitudinal socket 28. The meIn-L her .2,6 ha a recess 29 for receiving th'eedg' the foot section and is iormedfalon outer edge, eldngateqriea hause mama h th ab which engages tightly in the socket 28 when said foot section is raised to a horizontal position.

On one side of the seat section [0, a stub shaft 3| is suitably mounted so as to extend outwardly. A drum 32 is rotatably confined on the shaft and has one end of a cable 33 wound on its hub (Fig. 4). This cable passes over a pulley 34 on the side Ofg the seates ction;:a r id thence over; a pulley 35*on the'side of the foot" section ll (Fig. 1). The outer end of the cable is attached to the side of the foot section near its outer end;

the pulleys being at higher elevations -thar thei drum and the point of attachment of the cable.

For rotating the drum, a handler-31in isaeccene trically mounted thereon. A ratchet wheel 3 h'is secured on the hub of the drum leyerew pivoted The IO Patent is:

l. A folding bath tub including, a seat section, a foot section hinged to the seat section,

adjacent the wheel, has a dog 39 on its lower end engaging the teeth of said wheel: Avcoiled= spring 40 has one endgattached to the lever 38, t nointathereef. an its d di her; ca section, whereby the dog 39 is held gi jh ifiilqable :The

wwherebyit mayebeg rasned bn he hath r an 'leverdepressed fen releasing [the drum "so hatirthe=-foot-;s ectiontmaygbe lowered; @Suitable la;tches::4-l: may bet-provided i at thetupnert ends wQfgthe gjoint between-,theasections for fastenin =:s.a.i' sec s o ether-- vzzcn a ipcs ti neapri nrt2;iaprovided. h s-pr n -:..;is-..U-s,hapedand;:has-,it s nppereends pivoted to. :tii outer-endpf theasection oni aohside thereof. 'tiln'clined -braces;43; haye -their lower ends. pivoted -.-tQ-: rop=intermed at athe: ndstof 1 t l e lheeupp rw s-ion eeb aces-enea eAn (Pock ts -44,:on each'asideofetheefoot section; The outer end 45 0f-;the,foot,,sectioniiandgtoutwardly, so that; whenusaidgsection .is lowered, said end z i 5,-,wi 11,., rest fiat on. thefloor, as isashownfin -dottedelines in ,Eig, 1 e16;;haying;-a,su2tab1e closiireeflih .'Q O e in lS-JllclinBd ,upwardly A, drain the bottom of the seat section and a hose=- not .;sh0\ in) may-tbee connected-1. to the .drainfor H ZGmQViIflg water:.from the tub. Ifdesired, the

braces. may-.-.he removably, connected to.- th {-HI'QQ, suchaastby .leisiotseda.

In eusing thewbath, tub,,-the-, foot section; -I l .is

' swung downwardlm. int en a em nt. with th fioerhe nval d:or,:-ccnvalescentsnerson ay *malkiontotthe.fiat.end.flamin round andt in the, seat sect on. 0-. 'hen fhya grafs n h -handlee fi' andrmtatin eth e tum432 I to .win'dthe ine po io o her :m w eac t w. n 3SWln ends in .the, pockets .49.

:fi m cn m y p ace wattmin. .thetub orlfauce s.

ath b a l tf pwaidlyi amid-milea e; hei

.rnets owm, may anvenientl ocatediso that packing means sealing the joint between the sections, a support maintaining the seat section at ;anelevation,.and a movable support holding the --sections alined and movable to permit down- ,-W.ar .dt swin Q,f. the foot section.

2. A folding bath tub as set forth in claim 1,

withiactuating means on the seat section having connections with the; foot section for raising ;a nd;;lowering. said footv section.

' 3. A fo ding bath tub .-as.set;forth'jnclaim- ,1, -.wherein--the foot section has-an end: inclined to rest a.substantially. flaton-flthehfioor when the section is swung downitlardlyi 4. 1 folding bathtub .assetforth in c1aim;-.l 1, with adrum mounted .on theseat .section, .a flexible. connection .wound on the-drum andhav- :iing one end attached-to thefoot section, and

, retainingameans 0n the. drum. 7

- 5:. A folding-bath tub .-including, an, elevated seat ,sectioma footisection hinged-to thesseat section, a propzpivoted to thefoot, section, and braces hinged-to the prop and engagingthaseat 6, ,Agfolding ybflzth tub ,as, set forthv in claimiS, with a drum and cable..connecting -.the sections for raising and lowering thefoot se.ction.

7. .A folding bath. tub including, a'.1seat;'sec- ,tion, afoot section hinged tofthei'seat section, an, elastic female. sealv on. the. seatgsection, .anjd elastic male. seal .on the-.hingedeend offthe foot section engaging .in the female... seal for, sealing the joint between the sections,v

8. A folding bathtub. including, a substan tially: horizontal :seat. section-an. uprightestand upon which the seat section is.,mou,nted, a foot section hinged. at. its bottom-to I the bottom ,of .thehseatnsection. an .elastic seal at the, joint between the sections, a proppivoted at. its .1 1 91- -.end.,tp the footsectiom and, drum and cable meanscarried by. the seat. section andjattajched to the .footsection, for raising and lowering the foot section. iB-i-MAKO' REBAIJTLJMAYQ REF BEN EQ'QI ED. 'f lhee e owi-na references rceoit eceniemth 1 file-10f; hiiili iilfi flti' v UNITEDSTATESiPHEENTS Number am ne-.- Relate .aa tonet-arlm Dec, 1,341,938 EQREIGN PATIENTS "Z'Numb'er Country 9 3.. G a B itain. "cameo; ;:.1 921 15m 21 :3381 cereal::mtanmwei sntzfizi92 

